Preparing for winter II

NualaBuala

:rotfl:
Yep, was thinking I was mad too!

Reevsey

Wel its official i've got the prep bug - thanks to this threads wise words i breezed through the recent snow period and like you enjoyed feeling contented in the knowledge i had all necessary (and some niceties) in my spare emergency store.

Am already thinking ahead for the following winter - where is the most cost efficient place to get dried beans and pulses from do you think?

mardatha

We've got thunder, lightning, gales and heavy snow !

BitterAndTwisted

Reevsey wrote: »

Am already thinking ahead for the following winter - where is the most cost efficient place to get dried beans and pulses from do you think?

I don't know how you're fixed locally Reevesy but I've found that my local Asian and Turkish grocers sell load and loads of different kinds of dried goods in 2 kilo bags very cheaply. Much cheaper than any of our supermarkets. Long-grain rice is especially cheap.

I did notice in Asda at the weekend that they were selling huge sacks of stoneground wholewheat flour for £6 (I think). It was at that point when I felt the lack of a breadmaker most keenly.

jamanda

To those with good stores - be careful. I had a lot of dried stuff in the loft in a large plastic wheeled box with lid which I thought would be OK. Now getting rid of mice which have gnawed through the plastic around the hinged lid and got into the box. All food has had to be chucked away. DH going mental.

Primrose

Reevsey wrote: »

Am already thinking ahead for the following winter - where is the most cost efficient place to get dried beans and pulses from do you think?

Asian & other ethnic stores are by far the best places, if you have any near you. The bigger ones tend to sell a lot of the staples, such as flour, rice, lentils, dried beans, etc in bulk, often at prices much cheaper than our national supermarkets. The only thing to beware of is making sure than you're able to use them in a reasonable time-scale. I've sometimes found that bulk bought dried butter beans, for example can go rather hard & stale if kept too long. (I know they're hard to begin with, but I mean "rock hard"). It does helpif you have a good range of menus you can use to get through them fairly quickly. For quicker use, tinned beans of various kinds are always a useful standby.

Justamum

Primrose wrote: »

Asian & other ethnic stores are by far the best places, if you have any near you. . . . I've sometimes found that bulk bought dried butter beans, for example can go rather hard & stale if kept too long.

Our Tesco sells those big bags in their 'ethnic' section. Also, you can cook and freeze them - about 8oz cooked weight is the same as one tin.

BitterAndTwisted

Primrose wrote: »

I've sometimes found that bulk bought dried butter beans, for example can go rather hard & stale if kept too long. (I know they're hard to begin with, but I mean "rock hard").

Not even bulk-bought ones, it seems. I got a one kilo packet of them just over a week ago and no amount of simmering seems to be able to render them the way they should be. I'm going to resort to my pressure-cooker and blast the heck out them. They will surrender to me!

Butterfly_Brain

kidcat wrote: »

Where is everyone getting candles and batteries from, having visited Ikea this morning, I cant believe how much candles have increased, and would ideally like to buy more and not break the bank.

I know where you are coming from.
Ikea prices have really jumped and it is much, much more than the VAT increase:mad: I got some in our local hardware shop but you could try wilkinsons or even the poundshops

Athome1

I don't know about everyone else, but I can't believe that this winter is over yet! Feb, March & April normally has lots of horrors to throw at us but today is positively balmy! I'm wearing a summer dress and a light cardie to work (still wearing my boots though:p)